Awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services

Awarded by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office), the L. Anthony Sutin Civic Imagination Award is bestowed upon a collaborative team of law enforcement and community members whose innovative civic interactions have transformed public safety in their community.

The winning team of two or more individuals—at least one law enforcement officer and one community member—will have demonstrated active engagement with the community in a multifaceted manner that has been sustained over time and has resulted in positive, observable public safety outcomes.

The ideal team:•creates sustainable collaborations that are innovative, creative, and transformative; •displays civic leadership through problem solving and collaborative partnerships; •institutionalizes sustainable, positive, observable public safety outcomes; •promotes public safety through dedication to the community policing philosophy.

Past award-winners include former-Chief James Fealy, High Point (NC) Police Department, and President Gretta Bush, High Point Community Against Violence, in 2012 for their outstanding collaboration and leadership in implementing the Drug Market Intervention model. And in 2011, Lieutenant Dean Richard Isabella, Providence (RI) Police Department, and Executive Director Frank Shea, Olneyville Housing Corporation, won for their work in engaging the community, revitalizing the quality of life, and improving safety in the Olneyville housing community.

The L. Anthony Sutin Civic Imagination Award is named in memory of Tony Sutin, who served as a founder and deputy director of the COPS Office from its creation in 1994 until 1996. A distinguished graduate from Harvard Law School and former partner of the law firm Hogan & Hartson in Washington, D.C., Tony was widely known and respected for his tremendous commitment to service and community. It is with great admiration and respect for Tony’s many contributions to the COPS Office and the principles of community policing that the COPS Office names this award in his memory.

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